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Lib Dems to shun flawed Iraq inquiry

February 3, 2004 12:00 AM

Charles Kennedy, leader of the Liberal Democrats, has told the Prime Minister that the Liberal Democrats will not participate in the proposed inquiry to be chaired by Lord Butler. Mr Kennedy wrote to the Prime Minister yesterday, regarding both the make-up and the remit of the inquiry.

Mr Kennedy's key requirement was that the inquiry should not only investigate the quality of intelligence which was provided to the Government in the build-up to the Iraq war, but the judgements which were made by the politicians about those intelligence assessments.

Speaking after the announcement in the House of Commons that the inquiry would go ahead, Mr Kennedy said:

"It is a matter of regret that the Liberal Democrats are unable to participate."

"My party has been asking for an independent inquiry into the controversial aspects of the build up to our participation in the Iraq war for many months. I have frequently said that Lord Hutton's remit was too narrow. The remit for this new inquiry is equally unacceptable. An inquiry which excludes politicians from scrutiny is unlikely to command public confidence. Politicians should always be willing to answer for their judgement and their competence to the public."

"There is now widespread public disbelief about the stated reasons for our participation in the war in Iraq. That disbelief is undermining public trust in the office of the Prime Minister. The way to re-establish that trust would be to have an inquiry which addresses the key questions directly and openly. It does not seem to me that this inquiry will be able to do that."

"I shall continue to challenge the Government about these matters, as I and my party have been doing consistently over many months. We seek the answers the public is also seeking. I am not satisfied that this inquiry will satisfy those concerns."

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